Fence system



Feb. 27, 1968 J. E. ASHWQRTH ETAL Y FENCE SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1966 INVENTORS JAMES E ASHWORTH and AUGUST L. BARTZ B M M f V Alfamey J. E. ASHWORTH ETAL Feb. 27, 1968 FENCE SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 29, 196 6 wm mm m H m 5 0 MM N T M WM wwm me s H L PI E. m 55 Eu W M M E %w .w

Feb. 27, 1968 J. E. ASHWORTH ETAL FENCE SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 29, 1966 INVENTORS JAMES E ASHWORTHand AUGUST L. BARTZ V A? Aflorney 1968 J. E. ASHWORTH ETAL 3,370,836

FENCE SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 29, 1966 INVENTORS JAMES E ASHWORTH and AUGUST L. BARTZ United States Patent 3,370,836 FENCE SYSTEM James E. Ashworth, Moraga, and August L. Bartz, Alamo, Calitl, assignars to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 29, 1956, Ser. No. 563,953 19 Claims. (Cl. 256-47) This invention relates to a fence system and more particularly to a chain link fence. Such systems include terminal posts, line posts, top rails, brace rails and gates. The fence systems of which we have knowledge require a great number of parts such as bands, stretcher bars, bolts, nuts, end cups and special fittings for gates depending upon the type of gate required. Also, additional fittings are required when the fence system is topped with barbed wire. The great number of parts increases the initial cost of the fence system. In addition the cost of stocking replacement parts is high and there is danger of loss of the various parts.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide a fence system which requires a relatively few number of parts.

Another object is to provide such a fence system which is sturdy, inexpensive and pleasing in appearance.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a fence system according to our invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a gate attachment;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of an intermediate line post and top rail;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an intermediate line post with a barbed wire fitting thereon;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view, with parts broken away, showing a corner terminal post with 90 rail connections;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line VI--VI of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a corner connector;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view, with parts broken away, and shown in section, of a corner terminal post and rail connections;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the connector shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of an intermediate line post and brace rail connection;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a terminal post and chain link fabric showing the manner in which the fabric is attached to the post;

FIGURE 12 is an elevation showing a tefminal post and a different manner of attaching the chain link fabric; and

FIGURE 13 is an elevation showing a section of fencing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates a fence system of our invention. This includes open terminal posts 4 which are an essential part thereof. As best shown in FIGURES 5 and 11 each post 4 is made of a steel plate bent in such a manner as to provide two long sides 6 and 8 at right angles to one another, short sides 10 and 12 at right angles to sides 6 and 8 and inwardly extending flanges 14 and 16 connected to sides It) and 12, respectively. Along at least one of the short sides 10 and 12 and in most cases along both of the short sides are a plurality of generally horizontal apertures 18 formed by expanding part of the metal outwardly as best shown in FIGURE 11. The apertures 18 are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between apices 20 of chain link fabric 22. The fence 3,370,835 Patented Feb. 27, 1968 system also includes top rails 24. The rails 24, as best shown in FIGURE 6, are made of a steel plate bent to provide a top 25, vertical sides 28, horizontal sides 30 and upwardly extending vertical flanges 32.

FIGURES 5 and 6 disclose how the rails 24 are attached to the posts 4. A receptacle 34 is cold formed in flange 16 of the post 4 adjacent to the top thereof and one of the rails 24 is inserted between flange 14 and the base of receptacle 34 with the end of the rail bearing against side 8. The end of a second rail 24 abuts a vertical side of the first rail 24. An L-shaped adapter plate 36 (see FIGURE 7) having upwardly extending spaced flanges 3-8 is inserted within the rails 24. The flanges 38 are forced against the flanges 32 to bend the flanges 32 toward sides 28 so as to lock the assembly together.

Line posts 40 made of sheet steel are provided between terminal posts 4 where necessary. As shown each post 4i consists of two resilient legs 42 with a space 44 therebetween and aligned flanges 46. Post 40 has an opening 48 therein adjacent the top for receiving top rail 24, as shown in FIGURE 3. A horizontal shoulder 50 is provided below the bottom of opening 48 for a purpose which will be explained later. It is sometimes desirable to provide a brace rail 52. When this is done the brace rail 52 which is of the same size and shape as top rails 24 has a portion of its end cut away with one of its sides 54 extending over flanges 46 as shown in FIGURE 1i). Holes 56 are provided in the side 54 in alignment with opening 44 and held in position by means of staple 58 which is driven through holes 56 into opening 44. Normally a brace rail will extend from a terminal post 4 beneath each top rail 24 and the brace rails 52 will be fastened to the posts 4 in the same manner as top rails 24, a cold formed receptacle 34 being provided for this purpose at the desired elevation.

When two sides of the fence intersect other than at a right angle as at the right of FIGURE 1 a special adapter or connector 60 is provided. As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 the adapter 6% consists of two arms 62 pivotally connected by a pin 54 having a head 65. Each arm 62 has upwardly extending flanges 66 arranged in the same manner as flanges 38 of adapter plate 36. One arm 62 of the connector 6t is inserted into the rail 24 with its head 65 resting on top of flanges 32 and the flanges 66 forced against flanges 32 as shown in FIGURE 8, thus making a rigid connection therebetween. The rail 24 is then inserted into corner post 4 with its end being received in receptacle 34 as shown in FIGURE 8. The other arm 62 is inserted into the adjacent end of a rail 68 having the same construction as rail 24 except that its end 70 is cut on a bias so as to bear against the side of the rail 24'. The flanges 66 are forced against the vertical flanges 32 of rail 68 so as to complete the connection.

As shown in FIGURE 1 a gate 72 is secured between two spaced apart posts 4. This is accomplished by means of a bracket 74 having a vertical arm 76 secured to post 4 by means of bolts or other fastening devices and a horizontal arm 78 having a slot Si therein. A similar bracket, not shown, is attached to the bottom of the post 4 and a pivot pin 82 is received in aligned slots 80 and secured in position by nuts 84. The pin 82 passes through hinge 86 of gate 72. The position of the gate and the amount of swing of the gate can be varied by changing the position of the pin 82 in the slots 81 and/or by reversing the position of the bracket 74.

In some instances it is desirable to have barbed Wire at the top of the fence as shown to the left of FIGURE 1 and in FIGURE 4. This is done by means of a fitting 33 consisting of a hollow sleeve portion 90 and an arm 92 having slots 94 therein. The sleeve portion 90 is placed on top of line post 40 and rests on horizontal shoulders 59 so that the opening 48 is hidden from view. The rail .24, instead of passing through the opening 48, passes through a hole 96 in the fitting 88. Barbed wires 98 are received in the slots 94 and their ends are connected to the terminal posts 4 by insertion in upper apertures 18.

In erecting the fence system the terminal posts 4 and line posts 40 are placed in the ground in the desired position in the usual manner. The rails 24, 52 and 68 are assembled in the manner described above. Optionally a tension wire 160 may be strung, stretched and secured to and between the terminal posts 4 and stapled adjacent to the outside faces of the line posts 40. Conventional chain link fabric 22 of proper specification is next strung, partially stretched and temporarily fastened in a vertical position between the terminal posts. As shown in FIGURE 11 one vertical edge of the fabric is secured to a terminal post 4 by weaving a single picket 102 vertically downward through adjacent apertures 18 of the terminal post and the adjacent apices 20 of the fabric 22. The fabric 22 is then slightly over stretched in a conventional manner to within close proximity of the second terminal post 4. Any excess length of fabric is now removed and the fabric is attached to the second terminal post in the same manner as it is attached to the first terminal post. When the tension on the fabric 22 is released the fabric will be properly positioned in a taut condition and the top rails will be in compression.

When the ground contour is slopin rather than flat the fabric 22 will be assembled as shown in FIGURE 12. The vertical edge of one end of the fabric 22 is cut to the approximate bias angle and a single picket 102 is screwed vertically downward through adjacent apertures 18 in the adjacent terminal post 4. The apices 20 of the fabric 22 are then positioned in vertical alignment with the apices of picket 102. A vertical rod 104 is then threaded downwardly between the apices of fabric 22 and picket 102 so as to interlock the fabric 22 and picket 102. The fabric is then secured to the second post 4 in the same manner. The gate 72 is preferably installed after the fabric 22.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A fence system comprising a sheet metal open terminal post, said terminal post including two inwardly extending flanges one at each longitudinal edge of said sheet, said flanges being arranged substantially normal to one another with a space therebetween so as to provide a vertical opening, one of said flanges having a receptacle therein adapted to receive a rail extending tangentially to the other of said flanges, and means on said terminal post adjacent at least one of said flanges for receiving a chain link fabric fence.

2. A fence system according to claim 1 in which said post includes a short side substantially normal to each flange, and said means for receiving a chain link fabric fence includes a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extending loops formed along the length of each short side to provide generally horizontal apertures, the distance bet-ween apertures being substantially equal to the dis tance between apices of the fabric fence.

3. A fence system according to claim 1 including two open rails, each open rail having a top side, a generally vertical side extending downwardly from each edge of said top side, a horizontal side extending inwardly from the bottom of each vertical side and an upwardly extending flange connected to the free end of each horizontal side, said flanges being spaced to provide a longitudinal slot in said rail, the first of said rails being received in said receptacle with its one end abutting the inside of said post, the second of said rails having one end abutting a vertical side of said first rail, and means connecting the first and second rails.

4. A fence system according to claim 3 in which said post includes a short side substantially normal to each flange, and said means for receiving a chain link fabric fence includes a plurality of spaced apart outwardly extending loops formed along the length of each short side to provide generally horizontal apertures, the distance between apertures being substantially equal to the distance between apices of the fabric fence.

5. A fence system according to claim 4 including a first length of woven wire fence secured to the apertures of one short side, and a second length of woven wire fence secured in the apertures of the other short side.

6. A fence system according to claim 5 including a second terminal post spaced from said first terminal post, a line post between said first and second terminal posts, said line post including two resilient legs with a generally vertical slot therebetween and aligned flanges on each side thereof forming a face, said line post having an opening through the legs thereof adjacent the top, said first rail passing through said last named opening into the receptacle of said second terminal post, said first terminal post having a second receptacle therein a substantial distance below the first named receptacle, a third rail having one and received in said second receptacle and its other end having one vertical side bearing against the aligned flanges of said line post, and a staple passing through said last named vertical side into the slot of said line post, said first length of woven wire fence being secured to said second terminal post.

7. A fence system according to claim 6 including a top and bottom bracket secured to said second post, each bracket having a horizontal arm extending therefrom, a

' pin extending substantially vertically between said arms,

means adjustably securing said pin to said arms, and a gate hinged to said pin.

8. A fence system according to claim 5 including a second terminal post spaced from said first terminal post, a line post between said first and second terminal posts, said line post including two resilient legs with a generally vertical slot therebetween and aligned flanges on' each side thereof forming a face, a fitting telescoped on the top of said line post, said fitting including an upwardly extending arm having an opening therein above said line post, said first rail passing through said last named opening into the receptacle of said second terminal post, and barbed wire having one end secured to said first post. the other end secured to said second post and an intermediate portion secured to said upwardly extending arm, said first length of woven wire fence being secured to said second terminal post.

9. A fence system according to claim 8 including a third rail, said first terminal post having a second receptacle therein a substantial distance below the first named receptacle, said third rail having one end received in said second receptacle and its other end having one vertical side bearing against the aligned flanges of .said line post, and a staple passing through said last named vertical side into the slot of said line post.

10. A fence system according to claim 9 including a top and bottom bracket secured to said second post, each bracket having a horizontal arm extending therefrom, a pin extending substantially vertically between said arms, means adjustably securing said pin to said arms, and a gate hinged to said pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,365 12/1906 Wilson et al. 25635 2,199,518 5/1940 Coleman 256 35 2,836,397 5/1958 7 Morrissey 256-47 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FENCE SYSTEM COMPRISING A SHEET METAL OPEN TERMINAL POST, SAID TERMINAL POST INCLUDING TWO INWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGES ONE AT EACH LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID SHEET, SAID FLANGES BEING ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO ONE ANOTHER WITH A SPACE THEREBETWEEN SO AS TO PROVIDE A VERTICAL OPENING, ONE OF SAID FLANGES HAVING A RECEPTACLE THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A RAIL EXTENDING TANGENTIALLY TO THE OTHER OF SAID FLAGES, AND MEANS ON SAID TERMINAL POST ADJACENT AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FLANGES FOR RECEIVING A CHANGING LINK FABRIC FENCE. 